Air Over

Still In The

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From a Correspondent in Pago Pago American Samoa has received a great deal of notice in US newspapers in the past two months over the possible selection of a woman as Governor. There has been a storm of opinions.

NOTED anthropologist Felix Keesing, of Stanford University, voiced his disapproval. Numerous Samoan chiefs likewise felt that a woman would make them a laughing stock in the eyes of their neighbours and women did not usually sit in dur ing kava ceremonies.

The candidate herself, Miss Marie Berger, a Chicago lawyer, referred scathingly to Prof. Keesing and other critics as “Republican enemies”. She added that she could handle the situation in Samoa. She also felt it needed a general cleaning up.

As for titles and partaking of kava, she claimed to have tried both. She did not give her title or where it was received, but it is believed the honour was awarded her on one of the small islands in Western Samoa.

Trask Out?

Another candidate from Hawaii— Rep. David Trask—seems to have dropped from the race after a strong beginning. Washington mentions that an interim selection will soon be made of a “career employes”, name as yet unknown.

Meantime, Governor Peter T. Cole man goes on with his work in Samoa,

seemingly paying scant attention to the possible change. He told his staff and he will submit his resignation whenever Washington wants it. He has been promised a job in the Majuro region of the Trust Terri tories at a salary slightly higher than his present one. During his absence in Washington for two months the situation here was uncertain, but things have quietened down since.

The three District Governors, Le’iato, Tuitele and Lefiti, never wavered in their loyalty to Governor Coleman, and this had an effect on some, so that several chiefs who once backed Trask are now strong for Gov ernor Coleman’s continuation in office.

Meanwhile, the Seventh Legislature of American Samoa has finished a four-week session and passed approxi mately 50 bills and resolutions.

They want a local salary tax; a study of the possibility of improving harbour facilities in Manua or of building an air base there; a plan to restore a Naval station to Samoa, more utilities and a better telephone service.

Court Reversal Legislators did receive one setback from the High Court. The House of Representatives had refused to admit Rep. Mautu Su’esu’e Ta’oto’oto, claiming he was not an American Samoan.

He took his case to court just when the Government held a special elec tion for a successor. The election went off before the court met, and Edward R. Meredith won the seat.

On April 10, however, Judge Arthur A. Morrow, having heard Ta’oto’oto’s case, decided that his re moval had been illegal and void.

Ta’oto’oto was still a member of the House!

Governor Peter Coleman ratifies the first bill presented to him by the new legislature of American Samoa in April. The bill creates a Sports Commission. With him, from left, are American Samoa Secretary, Mr. A. M. MacQuarrie; the President of the Senate, Rapi Sotoa; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Faatamala Muagututi'a, and a visiting official from Washington DC, Mr. Bernard Meyer.